The True Rich

Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time 

28 September 2025

 

First Reading: Amos 6:1a, 4-7

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 146:7, 8-9, 9-10

Second Reading: 1 Timothy 6:11-16

Gospel: Luke 16:19-31

 

Reflection

By: Benj Santiago

 

“If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.” (Luke 16:31)

In this parable of the rich man and Lazarus, Jesus paints a vivid contrast between worldly comfort and eternal reality. The rich man enjoyed abundance and ignored the poor beggar at his gate, while Lazarus suffered in misery while they were still alive. At death, their situations were reversed: Lazarus found comfort with Abraham, while the rich man was in torment.

This reveals the seriousness of how we live our earthly lives. Wealth or money or mammon itself is not evil or condemned, but selfishness and lack of compassion bring judgment. The rich man’s sin was his indifference and lack of empathy—he failed to see and care for the suffering Lazarus who is just outside his gate. The rich man failed to listen to what the prophets taught that we must love others expressed through generosity, mercy, and solidarity especially the poor. This is continuing situation even in this time.

The Gospel reminds us of the power and sufficiency of God’s Word. The Scriptures, given through Moses and the prophets, already contain the truth that leads to salvation. If people refuse to listen to God’s revelation, no miracle or extraordinary sign will be enough to change their hearts. It also points that our Lord Jesus is already foretelling the Pharisees of His own Resurrection. That even though He rose from the dead, many still chose not to believe.

Prayer

Lord, open our eyes to the suffering around us. Teach us to share our blessings with compassion and love. May we never be blinded by wealth or comfort, but instead live with mercy and faithfulness. Help us to open our hearts and listen to Your Word so we may share in eternal life. Help us to listen with faith, trust in Your promises. May we always believe with humility and perseverance, so that we may be strengthened in hope and remain faithful to Christ, our risen Savior. Amen.

A Generous Heart

    

Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time

10 November 2024

 

First Reading: 1 Kgs 17:10-16

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 146:7, 8-9, 9-10

Second Reading: Heb 9:24-28

Gospel: Mk 12:38-44 or 12:41-44

 

Reflection

By: Benj Santiago

 

"Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more

than all the other contributors to the treasury.

For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth,

but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had,

her whole livelihood."

This Bible passage has so many interesting details. First, the widow is definitely struggling in her finances as she was labelled "poor". Secondly, she has given two copper coins which is practically just a small amount, but it is probably all that she had.

I am challenged to give all what I have and rely on God's provision. We are all reminded that it is not the amount we give as an offering that matters, but the spirit by which we give it. If we give joyfully, the Lord will surely bless us and return more than a hundredfold what we offered.

Prayer

Dear God, we praise You and we thank You for all the abundant blessings we have received. May You grant us a generous heart like this poor widow to give all we had with joy in our hearts. In Jesus' Name, we pray. Amen.

The Least, the Last, and the Lost

   

  Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

25 September 2022 

 

First Reading: Am 6:1a, 4-7

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 146:7, 8-9, 9-10

Second Reading: 1 Tm 6:11-16

Gospel: Lk 16:19-31

 

Reflection

By: Gharri Tulabut

 

This is our usual prayer after class:

“Thank You Father for today’s discussion.” Then I add a bit about the topic for the day and continue with, “May everything that we learn and do in here and in our daily lives bear fruits that glorifies You.” And then we close the prayer with a Glory Be.

But in occasions when our topic is about finances, investing, or economics, I surprise my students with how I start the prayer. And it goes… 

“Lord make us rich!” Then I ask for an Amen from them. “Amen?” Half of the class would respond. Half remains shocked with the prayer. While they’re still dumbfounded with the bold prayer, I would continue and close it with, “But Lord, always remind us of the true purpose of wealth, and that is to love the people that you have entrusted us to love, esp. your favorites—the least, the last, and the lost.”

Ask me what I have done so far for the least, the last, and the lost—the likes of Lazarus in our Gospel reading for today. I will probably swallow something and grope for an answer. Or I’ll probably reason out, I am not yet rich.

I know, I don’t need to reach my standard of being rich before I start giving to the poor. Well, I was able to start that in tithing despite just barely making both ends meet, esp. during the pandemic. And thanks to this self-examen/reflection/realization, I think I will slowly start to make that bold prayer a reality. And my why’s for wanting to reach my standard for wealth remains the same, that is to love the people I was entrusted to love, esp. God’s favorites.

Prayer

Father, make me rich! Amen! But Lord always remind me of the true purpose of wealth, and that is to love the people that you have entrusted me to love, esp. your favorites—the least, the last, and the lost. And while I’m not there yet, I trust Your divine providence that I can slowly start to make this prayer a reality. Your Divine Grace, I implore, in Jesus Name, Amen!

Be Greedy To Bless Others

18th Sunday in Ordinary Time
1 August 2010


We are God’s people, the sheep of his flock: come, let us worship him, alleluia.

First reading Ecclesiastes 1:2,2:21-23
Vanity of vanities, Qoheleth says. Vanity of vanities. All is vanity!
For so it is that a man who has laboured wisely, skilfully and successfully must leave what is his own to someone who has not toiled for it at all. This, too, is vanity and great injustice; for what does he gain for all the toil and strain that he has undergone under the sun? What of all his laborious days, his cares of office, his restless nights? This, too, is vanity.
Psalm or canticle: Psalm 89:3-6,12-14,17

Second reading Colossians 3:1-5,9-11
Since you have been brought back to true life with Christ, you must look for the things that are in heaven, where Christ is, sitting at God’s right hand. Let your thoughts be on heavenly things, not on the things that are on the earth, because you have died, and now the life you have is hidden with Christ in God. But when Christ is revealed – and he is your life – you too will be revealed in all your glory with him.
That is why you must kill everything in you that belongs only to earthly life: fornication, impurity, guilty passion, evil desires and especially greed, which is the same thing as worshipping a false god; and never tell each other lies. You have stripped off your old behaviour with your old self, and you have put on a new self which will progress towards true knowledge the more it is renewed in the image of its creator; and in that image there is no room for distinction between Greek and Jew, between the circumcised or the uncircumcised, or between barbarian and Scythian, slave and free man. There is only Christ: he is everything and he is in everything.

Gospel Luke 12:13-21
A man in the crowd said to Jesus, ‘Master, tell my brother to give me a share of our inheritance.’ ‘My friend,’ he replied, ‘who appointed me your judge, or the arbitrator of your claims?’ Then he said to them, ‘Watch, and be on your guard against avarice of any kind, for a man’s life is not made secure by what he owns, even when he has more than he needs.’
Then he told them a parable: ‘There was once a rich man who, having had a good harvest from his land, thought to himself, “What am I to do? I have not enough room to store my crops.” Then he said, “This is what I will do: I will pull down my barns and build bigger ones, and store all my grain and my goods in them, and I will say to my soul: My soul, you have plenty of good things laid by for many years to come; take things easy, eat, drink, have a good time.” But God said to him, “Fool! This very night the demand will be made for your soul; and this hoard of yours, whose will it be then?.” So it is when a man stores up treasure for himself in place of making himself rich in the sight of God.’

Reflection
By Anabelle Payod-Balla

I remember one of the stories of Bo Sanchez. There was a time when he felt so helpless and frustrated when he was not able to help financially those people who are in great need. He wanted to help and bless more people and he realized that he can’t do this well if he has no means, no money. And so, he was driven to become a millionaire in order to help more. And he did become a millionaire and is now funding several charities and housing for homeless. He made use of money in order to bless others, therefore storing riches in heaven.

The readings for this Sunday talk about freeing ourselves from the chain of earthly things and to stop piling riches for ourselves but instead, focus on storing riches in heaven. Some of us may have taken this message literally. Those who wanted to remain poor as they see money as evil, as an earthly thing. But some of us, like Brother Bo Sanchez, went beyond the words and found a way to use these earthly things in order to store more riches in heaven. The key is how we use and share what we have, our riches, in order to improve life and lead others to God.

One time, one of my mentors and I were sharing about how we are helping our extended family. And she said something that really struck me and inspired me to continue sharing what we have with others. She said, "It is better to be in the position of being the 'giver' than being the 'receiver'." I fully agreed with the statement. There is so much joy in giving than receiving. Plus, giving with a cheerful heart receives heavenly rewards and these heavenly rewards are the riches we are storing in heaven.

Father, we thank You for everything that we have today. Help us to use them for Your glory. And please continue to shower us with Your abundant blessings so we may be able to help more. Amen.

Go and be rich so you can help those in need while saving souls in the process!

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Caught In The Act Of Faith